Joanne Chesimard Cause Of Death: FBI’s Most-Wanted Terrorist Assata Shakur Dies at 78 in Cuba

Joanne Chesimard, better known as Assata Shakur, has died in Havana, Cuba, at the age of 78. She spent more than four decades living as a fugitive after escaping a U.S. prison. Cuban officials confirmed she died on September 25, 2025, from health complications related to aging.

Shakur, once a member of the Black Liberation Army, remained on the FBI’s Most Wanted Terrorists List until her death. U.S. authorities had long sought her extradition to serve a life sentence for the 1973 killing of New Jersey State Trooper Werner Foerster.

Conviction, Escape, and Life in Cuba

Joanne Chesimard was convicted in 1977 for the murder of Trooper Werner Foerster during a shootout on the New Jersey Turnpike in 1973. According to Associated Press reports, she received a life sentence but escaped in 1979 with the help of armed accomplices. For several years, she lived underground in the United States before fleeing to Cuba in 1984, where the government granted her political asylum.

In 2013, the FBI placed Shakur on its Most Wanted Terrorists List, making her the first woman to appear there. Both the FBI and New Jersey State Police offered a $1 million reward for information leading to her capture. She became a symbol of political exile for some activist groups, while U.S. officials consistently referred to her as a domestic terrorist.

Legacy and Ongoing Debate

Assata Shakur’s death closes one of the most high-profile fugitive cases in U.S. history. For law enforcement and the family of Trooper Foerster, her passing ends decades of unresolved pursuit. For some activists, Shakur was seen as a symbol of resistance against racial injustice and government oppression.

Her case sparked ongoing debate about 1970s-era radical movements, policing, and how political asylum has been used by nations like Cuba. With her death, U.S. officials have lost the chance to extradite her, while supporters may continue to view her as an enduring figure in Black liberation history.

Joanne Chesimard cause of death has now been confirmed as health complications due to aging. Her decades-long fugitive life in Cuba ends a chapter that has influenced law enforcement, civil rights movements, and U.S.–Cuba relations for over 40 years.

FYI (keeping you in the loop)-

Q1: What was Joanne Chesimard’s cause of death?

She died from health complications related to aging while living in Havana, Cuba.

Q2: Why was Assata Shakur on the FBI’s Most Wanted Terrorists List?

She was convicted of murdering New Jersey State Trooper Werner Foerster in 1973 and later escaped prison in 1979.

Q3: How much was the reward for Assata Shakur’s capture?

The FBI and New Jersey authorities each offered $1 million for information leading to her arrest.

Q4: How did Joanne Chesimard escape U.S. prison?

She escaped in 1979 with the help of armed accomplices and later fled to Cuba, where she was granted asylum.

Q5: Did Cuba ever consider extraditing her?

No. Cuba consistently rejected U.S. requests for her extradition, granting her asylum since 1984.